Internet Desk: He might be the world’s most famous athlete, but Usain Bolt’s Olympic Games have gotten off to a surprisingly low-key start.
The Jamaican champion, 30, is staying with the rest of his country’s athletes in a budget three-star hotel close to Rio’s international airport – but appeared to be enjoying himself with just three days to go until the Games open on Friday.
Bolt, who just smiled when asked if he was happy with his Olympic preparation so far, is on course to become the first man to win three 100m gold medals in a row when he takes to the field next week.
He is already the biggest star of the Games, but is set to move into the Athletes’ Village tomorrow with the rest of the team.
On Monday night, a smiling Bolt was seen chatting with team mates over dinner in a room cordoned off for the exclusive use of the Jamaicans before briefly appearing in the lobby where he posed for a photo with a local fan.
Later, he was spotted joking around and taking selfies with fellow athletes before sloping off to bed at approximately 9.30pm.
Unlike the Olympic team from Belgium, who are also staying at the low-cost Linx Hotel, Jamaica brought their own chef – who laughed when asked what the breakfast of champions contains but said he couldn’t reveal any details.
Meanwhile, Bolt’s team mates and coaches said they were feeling confident about their collective bid for glory at Rio 2016 – and are unconcerned by reports of unfinished buildings and the Zika virus.
Paul Francis, who is part of Jamaica’s athletics coaching team, was similarly confident and said he was expecting Rio 2016 to go smoothly.
For now, Team Jamaica are staying in the cheap and cheerful Linx Hotel in Galeao where prices for a room start at $136 per night including breakfast.
The budget accommodation is a far cry from the more luxurious options to which Bolt has become accustomed but does boast a small restaurant named Cygnus and a bar – the latter currently roped off and being used exclusively by the Jamaicans.